Printing device



Feb. 24, 1953 W T GOLLWITZER 2,629,383

PRINTING DEVICE Original Filed May 31, 1946 Patented Feb. 24, 1953 PRINTING DEVICE Walter T. Gollwitzer, Euclid, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Original application May 31, 1946, Serial No. 673,670. Divided and this application April 29, 1950, Serial No. 159,081

2 Claims. (C1. 129--16.8)

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 673,670, led May 31, 1946, now Patent No. 2,535,733.

This invention relates to printing devices of the kind comprising a frame on which a printing plate and an index card are detachably retained. The invention pertains more particularly to an improvement in index cards used in connection with frames and plates of the aforesaid character, and it pertains also to improvements in means by which the association of such index cards With retaining elements on frame members may be facilitated.

In printing devices of the aforesaid character, it has been customary in the past to form a frame member, for example, of sheet metal with upstanding lugs, clips, spring tongues and beads which overlie or abut against the edges of printing plates and index cards to retain them in proper association with the frame. Printing devices of the aforesaid character may include one or more separate printing plates and one or more index cards. Examples are the printing devices disclosed in the patents to Mohler, No. 1,812,894, patented July 7, 1931; Berthelsen, No. 1,929,472, patented October 10, 1938, and prior patents issued to the present inventor such as Patents No. 2,030,865, patented February 18, 1936; No. 2,080,417, patented May 18, 1937; No. 2,115,444, patented April 26, 1938, and No. 2,132,412, patented October 11, 1938.

In the aforesaid patents, cards and plates of various widths and in various combinations are detachably retained on frames of the aforesaid character by means of overhanging clips, spring tongues, and inturned beads formed from material of the frame, which beads overlie a margin of a plate and a margin of an index card.

In devices of the aforesaid character, it is frequently necessary to change plates and to change index cards to correspond with changes made in the plates. Inasmuch as these devices are used in large numbers, a great deal of time is consumed in making the necessary changes and in inserting new plates and cards into frames.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to improve the design of index cards and to relate such design to the location and form of card retaining devices on frames of the aforesaid character so as to make it easier to assemble cards with retaining devices on such frames.

A further object of my invention is to design retaining elements on a frame and cooperating elements on the index card so as to provide for the efficient assembly and retention of cards by such retaining devices.

Another object of my invention is to design an index card in such a manner that it may be distorted for application to a frame without causing injury to the card or without substantially reducing the degree of security with which the card is retained on the frame.

A still further object of my invention is to facilitate the assembly of very narrow cards with retaining devices or frames of the aforesaid character by so modifying such cards as to provide for their rapid assembly with frames with only minor and temporary distortion thereof.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same Ior equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of a printing device embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan View of an index card used in connection with the printing device shown in Fig. 1.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is disclosed a printing device of the general character shown in the aforesaid patents to Mohler, Berthelsen, and my prior Patents Nos. 2,030.865 and 2,080,417. In general, the printing device DI shown in Fig. 1 embodies a frame of sheet material, preferably sheet metal, having an inturned bead along what may be termed the lower edge thereof, shown at LBI, and an inturned upper bead UBI along what may be called the upper edge of the frame. In addition to these beads, the frame shown in Fig. 1 has a plurality of lugs LI, L2, L5 and L1 struck upwardly from the body thereof and bent to form overhanging retaining devices respectively for printing plates P3 and Pt and an index card Cl. To prevent movement of the printing plates P3 and P4 lengthwise between the retaining lugs which hold them against the frame, depressible spring tongues ST are provided adjacent the respective ends of the frame, as is well understood in the art and described in detail in the aforesaid prior patents. 'Ihe plates P3 and Pfl are preferably of sheet metal having embossed printing characters thereon which are not shown herein vbut are also Well known in the art.

The lower plate P4 is retained on the frame by the cooperation of the lower bead LB and the clips or lugs L2 whichoverhang the upper edge of such plate. The up'per plate P3 is retained by clips or lugs LI and, as previously noted and well understood in the art, the retaining devices ST which are spring tongues struck from the body of the `frame are arranged in this instance to permit insertion of a plate from one end of the frame only, and serving normally, however, to restrict the plates against longitudinal movement,

but being readily depressible to permit removal of a plate and insertion of a new one whenever a change becomes necessary. Rigid retaining devices 4I and 42, struck from the material of the frame, are arranged to engage the opposite ends of the printing plates P3 and P4 to cooperate with the retaining devices ST in holding the plates in position. Although I have shown an arrangement wherein two plates are associated with a frame, it will be understood that only one plate may be used, or three or more plates may be used if desired, the retaining devices being suitably arranged. This is well known in the art and forms no part of the present invention. As shown in Fig. l, the printing plates P3 an-d P4 require most of the area of the frame leaving only a very narrow area for the card CI.

In order that the card CI may bear data corresponding to the printing plates, it is necessary, I

as well understood in the art, that the card be changed whenever a plate to which it is related is changed, that is, if any alteration in subject matter is required on the card. As shown in Fig. l, and also as shown in the prior patents mentioned above, index cards, such as CI, are retained in assembled position with the frame and in spaced relation with respect to the printing plate or plates by the overhanging upper bead UBI and the clips or lugs LS and LI. More than one index card might be used. A card, for example, might be placed in the general area occupied by plate P3, the necessary retaining means being suitably modified. However, the present form of my invention is particularly concerned with the card CI which is retained at least in part by the upper bead UBI.

Inasmuch as index cards, such as CI, are normally mad-e of paper and are easily torn, as ,when printing devices of this character are slid one over another, it is desirable that th-e card be rer tained closely against the surface of the frame so as to be less likely to be caught and damaged by projecting elements, as on other printing devices DI. For this reason, the bead UBI and the lugs or clips L6 and L7 usually closely overlie the card, and assembly of such card with the frame involves sliding it along under these retaining devices. As indicated in the upper right-hand corner of Fig. 1, the upper bead preferably has a part R2 which is ared or raised slightly higher than the remainder olf the bead to facilitate insertion of a card thereunder so that the `card can be slid along into position against a retaining clip or lug L4 at the left end of the fname, as seen in this figure. Another retaining clip or lug L5 is provided at the right end, as viewed in Fig.

l, of the area to be occupied by the card CI, and

sli)

tion by Carl J. Hueber, Serial No. 583,050, filed March 16, 1945 now Patent No. 2,456,943. These perf-orations are indicated at 20, Fig. 1, and the card may be perforated opposite any one of said perforations to perform a control function. Hence, it is desirable that the card CI be accurately located on the frame.

With cards of the type used in prior art, the assembly of a .card with a fra-me involved considerable diflculty, inasmuch as the closely overlying bead UBI and the cooperating lugs LS and L1 made it difficult to compress the card suiciently to insert the card under the overhanging retaining lugs. Hence, in attempting to insert cards of the aforesaid character into frames provided with retaining devices, as just described, many cards have been damaged and considerable diiculty in assembly has been experienced with consequent added expense and loss of tim-e.

It will be noted that the card CI is retained to the frame by overhanging lugs or clips L6 and LI which cooperate with the bead UBI to hold the card in place, lugs L4 and L5 preventing endwise movement. Since the lugs L4 and L5 are raised an appreciable distance 4from the surface of the frame, it is very difficult to thread so narrow a card over such a lug while it is under other retaining devices L6, L1 and the bead UBI. These elements combine to offer considerable frictional resistance to longitudinal sliding movement of a card as CI into assembled position. Because of its narrow width, the card does not have sufficient rigidity that it can lbe pushed lengthwise of ythe retaining devices against the considerable friction of the end retaining element, for example, L5 over which it passes as just noted. As the lugs L4 and L5 project appreciably from the face of the frame and the card has its margins held down by the bead UBI and the lugs or clips as L6, L1, insertion by sliding the full length of the area to be occupied by .the card `becomes difcult and in some instances is impossible.

Accordingly, the card CI is formed, as shown in Fig. 2, from the normal rectangular form thereof by cutting away a marginal Side portion at one end thereof to provide a slight bevel or taper 50. With this construction, the card CI may be assembled with the frame without the necessity of sliding it the full length of the bead UBI by placing the card approximately in its assembled position but just far enough out of such position longitudinally as to clear one of the lower retaining devices, such as L6 or L'I. For example, the card may be placed slightly to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, so that the left end thereof just clears the retaining device L6 at the left side of the frame, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The upper edge of the card is then slid under the bead UBI until the advance or left end thereof, as seen in Fig. 1, clears the retaining lug L6. At this time, the trailing or right end of the card, as shown in Fig. 1, overlies the retaining devices L5 and L'I near the right end oi the frame. The card is slid from the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 to the full line position against the left end retaining lug L4. With this movement the card has been fully assembled with the frame except that the right end thereof still overlies the retaining lug L1. By reason of the tapered or beveled upper corner, which is indicated at 50, the right end of the card may now be distorted slightly and pushed upwardly, as shown in Fig. l, so that its lower edge will clear and snap under the retaining lug L1. This is accomplished by pushing the beveled edge portion of the card upwardly or further under the bead UBI to thus clear the lug L1. This manipulation causes the card CI to buckle slightly, but it does not crush or mutilate the edge portion thereof opposite to the lug L1 as would be required if the upper edge were not cut away. Upon release, the buckled card straightens to snap under the overhanging portion of the lug L1, and when this has been accomplished, the card lies snugly against the frame in retained position.

The beveled portion 50 therefore not only facilitates assembly of the card Cl with the frame, but also prevents damage thereto during the process of assembly. Because of its slender character, the card CI is more easily damaged thanv larger cards, and this novel construction, therefore. is of importance in preventing injury to such card.

The precise length and transverse extent of the bevel will vary depending upon the width and stiffness of the card and the extent to which the retaining lug or clip as L1 overhangs the lower edge of the card when the card is in place. The part cut away should be just sufficient to permit the card to be snapped past the lug as L1 without permanent deformation in the card and without undue diiiiculty in manipulation.

It will be appreciated that the beveled portion might be formed at the left end of the card CI, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, rather than at the right end. In this case, obviously, the card would be assembled with the frame by first placing it to the left of lug L1, sliding it under the bead UBI, then sliding it to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, against the lug L5, and finally pushing the trailing left (beveled) end toward the bead and snapping it past the lug L6 to be retained thereby.

Hence, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a printing device, a rectangular frame made from sheet metal and embodying means for securing a printing plate thereon and also including card-mounting means defining a rectangular card receiving area and comprising a reversely bent retaining bead extended along one edge of said frame to afford a continuous overhanging card retaining member along one side of said area, upstanding retaining clips at opposite ends of said area, and a plurality of other` overhanging retaining clips disposed along the opposite side of said area with one such clip disposed adjacent to each of said upstanding retaining clips, and an index card of flexible and resilient sheet material of a form corresponding substantially with said area and affording first and second side edges adapted to be positioned respectively beneath said retaining bead and said other clips and with the end edges engaged with said upstanding retaining clips, said card having a portion of said first side edge adjacent one end of the card cut at a slight angle to said first side edge so as to enable said one end of card to be urged edgewise into said bead so as to be buckled momentarily into said bead and thereby reduce the effective width of the card at said one end and enable said second side edge of said card near said one end to be inserted under the overhanging clip at that end of said area.

2. In a printing device that has a rectangular frame made from sheet metal and embodies means for securing a printing plate thereon and also includes card-retaining means defining a. rectangular card, receiving area and comprises a reversely bent retaining bead extended along one edge of said frame to afford a continuous overhanging eard retaining member along one side of said area, upstanding retaining clips at opposite ends of-said area, and a plurality of other overhanging retaining clips disposed along the opposite side of said area with one such overhanging clip disposed adjacent to each of said upstanding clips. the combination of an index card being made from flexible and resilient sheet material of a form corresponding substantially with such area and affording first and second side edges adapted to be positioned respectively beneath such retaining bead and such overhanging clips and having end edges adapted to be positioned against said upstanding clips, said card having a portion of said first side edge cut away at an angle adjacent one end of said card so that the card is progressively narrower towards said one end so as to enable said card to be buckled momentarily at said one end and into said bead to thereby reduce the effective width of the card at that end and enable said second side edge of the card adjacent to said one end to be inserted under the overhanging clip at that end of such area.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,026,251 Duncan May 14, 1912 1,484,234 Prentiss Feb. 19, 1924 1,909,913 Elliott May 16, 1933 2,261,993 Gollwitzer Nov. 11, 1941 2,425,338 Nau Aug. 12, 1947 

